Despite iPhone issues, life is good for Apple, thanks to the best-selling iPad

In response to record demand for the Apple iPad, Apple, Inc. is stepping up its production efforts. As of last month the Cupertino giant topped 3 million units sold worldwide.

Apple originally set a goal of reaching production of 2.5 million units a month to be reached by December, but it now appears that it may hit that number well ahead of schedule, in response to high demand.

Apple is estimated to have outsourced 2.3-2.35 million iPads to Taiwan players in July with 58-60% for the Wi-Fi and 3G hybrid model despite Wi-Fi only models having stronger sales in the first half of 2010, Kuo noted.

That's up greatly from the 1.2 million units that Digitimes Researchestimated in June. And it's way above the 700,000 units that the iPad began shipping per month at launch in April (U.S.).

The move indicates two things -- first that Apple plans on selling a lot more iPads, and second that it's trying to push the public to make those sales of the more lucrative 3G-ready iPad (a move its U.S. carrier AT&T is surely excited about).

The wildest analyst estimates pegged the iPad at selling 8 million units this year. If Apple can continue to quickly ramp up production, though, it stands to sell as many as 16-18 million units this year. We'd be conservative, bumping our previous estimate to 15 million units for the year.

This terrific sales success is great news for Apple on a number of levels. First, it establishes the company as the top player in a promising emerging market. Second it should lead to a "halo effect" boosting sales of other Apple products. And finally, it should help Apple to overcome the negative publicity of the numerous issues that the iPhone 4 suffered -- including signal woes, proximity sensor malfunctions, and not fully cured sealants.

Later this month the iPad will come to more countries overseas, including Austria, Belgium, Hong Kong, Ireland, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand and Singapore, which should help to continue to stoke the sales flame.

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why can't you replace the the battery in the iphone? it's $12 so in five years when it needs a new battery you can replace it. it's a lithium cell, so you are stupid if you think it needs to be "replaced" during the normal lifetime of the product, sorry, you have very old data in your head, move up to modern Apple technology that way we won't have to keep laughing at you.

ah, what? it's instant to replace a battery if you go through apple, nobody pays any $80 fee. are you insane?

but no other computers are advanced enough to run OSX, so why is that Apple's fault? again, you didn't think before you typed.

you're just not an advanced user, OSX is the number 1 UI on the planet, we all agree with that

but that's only if you are still trying to use Windows... how many intelligent people are still doing that? basically none.

no, 100% of BSD Unix is right at your finger tips in OSX, so there is zero dumbing down of the OS.

yeah, and that proves your are an idiot, there are 100's of calculator apps for OSX.

no, widgets remain the best on OSX, so it's clear you are clueless about computing.

nobody cares about proprietary flash now that HTML5 has become the open source standard. you're out of touch with development, that's all. jobs has always decided the market, so you need to remember that.

so it's clear you have no idea about computing, you're still running windows or linux for christ's sake! nobody that uses windows is considered an advanced user, they are the newbies, linux is for the poor, whereas Apple users control the industry and will continue to for the next 80 years.

so shape up or ship out... we have no place for whiners in our industry.

quote: but no other computers are advanced enough to run OSX, so why is that Apple's fault? again, you didn't think before you typed.

what are you talking about, i virtualize osx on my vmware machine all the time (and this is on top of windows vista/7!

there are plenty of hackintoshes out there to prove this point wrong... apple artificially breaks compatibility by not putting in support for a lot of processors, among other things. which i can understand because they themselves don't use those processors and this wouldn't be so bad until you read the EULA which says it can only be installed on a mac. so really the only reason other computers "aren't advanced enough (LOL)" to run mac osx is because of the EULA!

quote: you're just not an advanced user, OSX is the number 1 UI on the planet, we all agree with that

I woke in an IT firm and i build webpages and applications for all sorts of platforms. yea, you're so advanced because you have a mac with a "superior ui"... good for you!

quote: why can't you replace the the battery in the iphone?

I'm willing to admit you have me on the battery thing, i didn't realize 3rd parties released something to fix the issue.

quote: nobody pays any $80 fee. are you insane?

I was referring to the original battery replacement program that came out with the first iphones. if that's not the case anymore then fine, but even if it's in the past its still a contributing factor to why apple sucks. Though i'll scratch it off my list just for you :D

quote: yeah, and that proves your are an idiot, there are 100's of calculator apps for OSX.

I said from the factory. I never called anyone an idiot, why the hostility?

quote: no, widgets remain the best on OSX, so it's clear you are clueless about computing.

This is obviously an opinionated statement as was my list of problems i have with apple. My answer is no, i prefer the widgets system on KDE and windows 7 much more than that of osx.

quote: no, 100% of BSD Unix is right at your finger tips in OSX, so there is zero dumbing down of the OS.

wrong.

quote: nobody cares about proprietary flash now

Yea, ok steve. I think plenty of people want access to all available formats, me included. It should be up to the consumer to ditch flash, the decision should not be made for them.

quote: you're out of touch with development

lol

quote: so it's clear you have no idea about computing, you're still running windows or linux for christ's sake! nobody that uses windows is considered an advanced user, they are the newbies, linux is for the poor, whereas Apple users control the industry and will continue to for the next 80 years.

Please tell me this entire post is sarcasm... please... because no one could be that much of a smug dolt... it's just not possible!

quote: so shape up or ship out... we have no place for whiners in our industry.